Device for stretching and for forming the rims of spectacles



Dec. 30, 1952 A. HORVATH 2,623,423

DEVICE FOR STRETCHING AND FOR FORMING THE RIMS 0F SPECTACLES Filed Dec. 18. 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 IN VEN TOR.

Dec. 30, 1952 A. HORVATH DEVICE FOR STRETCHING AND FOR'FORMING THE RIMS OF SPECTACLES 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Dec. 18. 1948 INVENTOR. 1m Wmzzz- Patented Dec. 30, 1952 DEVICE FOR STRETCHING AND FOR FORMING THE RIMS OF SPECTACLES Alexander Horvath, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 18, 1948, Serial No. 66,008

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in a device for stretching and/or forming the rims of spectacles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved device for stretching and/or forming the frames or rims of plastic spectacles, and is an improvement over my Patent No. 2,552,043 issued May 8, 1951.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spectacle rim stretcher which will shape and/or stretch the rims without leaving any impressions or marks on the spectacles thus treated.

Another object is to provide a device of the foregoing character which will effectively and securely lock the stretching cone to the heating unit during the operating and forming period.

This invention (as that of the aforesaid copending application) eliminates the necessity of maintaining a number and variety of rim stretchers, as now commonly employed where there is one for each shape, as well as rights and lefts of the frame.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the preferred form of my device used in connection with a heating unit, part of which is shown in cross section and also showing the means for locking the stretching cone to the heating unit.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing one of the lugs in locked position for securing the cone to the heating unit.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing two segments of the segmentally formed stretching cone.

Fig. 4. is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction showing the stretching cone made of a continuous uninterrupted wall and showing the pattern thereon in the position it would be placed on the cone when the pattern is locked to the heating unit.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 65 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction utilizing screening material for the stretching cone.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the truncated cone shaped device, generally indicated at IU shall hereinafter be referred to as a stretching cone or a forming cone and is described in detail in my copending application, Serial No. 10,074, filed February 21, 1948. It will be briefly described herein. It is formed of a plurality of segments or ribs l2 interlocked or interlaced together as at Hi to form a continuous wall and providing a pivoted or hinged connection between each segment or rib to permit the cone to be sufficiently flexible on the transverse cross section so that it may be reshaped transversely. All the segments I 2 are identically formed and identically interlocked and a description of one will suffice.

The rib or segment I2 is an elongated member having an adjoining front wall l6 and side wall I8 positioned at right angles to each other. The front Wall gradually tapers outwardly from the top 20 to the bottom 22 and the measurement of the front Wall at the top is about two-thirds of the measurement at the bottom. The front wall is curved on its transverse cross section as at 2!, best shown in Fig. 4. Spaced from the top of the front wall is an inverted L shaped extension 24 which is formed at right angles to the front wall [6 and is substantiallyparallel to the side wall [8. Between the leg 26 of the extension and the front Wall l6 there is a space 28 which permits interlocking of the segments, as will presently be described.

Along the juncture 30 of the adjoining front and side Walls there is an elongated slot 32 which extends from above the extension 24 to approximately. the level of the horizontal line 34 of the extension. Adjacent the bottom of the segment, I provide another L shaped extension 36 similar to that previously described, with the leg portion 33 extending slightly below the level of the side walls as at 40. The juncture of the walls is likewise provided with an elongated slot 42, the top of the slot extending above the level of the top of the extension and the bottom of the slot being substantially level with the horizontal line 44 of the extension.

The segments l2 are positioned adjacent each other and interlocked, as best shown in Figs.

3 and 4. To interlace adjoining segments, the

bottom L shaped extension 36 is inserted in the slot 42 of the adjacent segment and the top L shaped extension 24 is then inserted. in the slot 32 of the adjacent segment. In this condition there is a vertical play between adjoining segments. The adjoining segments are then positioned so that the tops of each are on the same horizontal plane and that portion of the bottom leg 38 which extends below the bottom of the adjoining side is bent at right angles as at 46 to engage the underside of the side wall 18 and prevent any vertical movement between adjoining segments, thus locking the segments to each other to form a continuous wall 48. A

otherwise secured together as at h ,gjacket 50 is positioned on the forming device It to.,.practically cover same.

hinging or pivotal connection is provided between adjacent segments to permit the wall st of the cone to be sufiiciently flexible to permit its reshaping transversely to assume any shape that may be necessary by virtue of the shape of the rims of the frame. The cone automatically takes on the shape of the rim of the frame placed upon it. A piano wire Mi (Fig. 3) passes through all the slots d2 of the cone segments and rests -against*the inside of the front wall 2! of the segment to keep the segments and the cone expanded or urged outwardly for engagement with the jacket. to be presently described.

Over said cone shaped forming device I place a truncated coneshaped jacket 50, which is preferably made of a thin flexible piece of metal having a continuou wall 52 which may be welzrrifid It is permanently securedzitheretoby a plurality of rivets 5 3A. The jacket Li s 'exiblesp that it readily conforms and reshape'szitself to the shape assumed by the stag mental-pone or" z-forming device iii. The lens frame 8 is placed over the jacket 58 so that the inn'er'zportion of the rim 9 engages a continuous "smooth -.sur'face and no marks or impressions will beiorrn'ed on the rim 9.

The flexible forming device it is used in connection with a heating unit. The heating unit,

" generally indicated at 5G comprises a base 58 onwhich is positioned and secured in any conventional mannera heating element es. A housing. 62 encloses the heating element. The flange B t of the housing rests on the base 58. A cap BBis positioned'over the flange a l and an annular socket member t8 having an annular upright wall Ill is positioned on top of the cap 56. A plurality of rivets ll passing through said parts secure same to the base. a conducting wire 52' connected to a suitable electrical outlet and a switch it operates the heating unit.

The upright annular wall is has a pair of diametrically opposed slots 15 and each slot has an inclined slope in an opposite direction to the other. The slots are to receive the lugs E8 on the pattern 16, to be presently described.

The segmental cone 10, together with the jacket Ellis placed on the socket member 68 and surrounds the heating element (ill and housing 62 and is heated thereby. When thus heated, the rim 9 of the frame is positioned on the jacket "and'the frame 8 is moved downwardly thereon,

thes'egmental cone ill with the jacket 50 thereon will automatically adjust itself to the shape of the rim 9. The spectacle frame is'moved down as far as it is desired to expand and/or stretch the nm. "The rim will be stretched uniformly in its preformed-shape. When the rim has been expanded to the required size, the operator removes theframe from the cone and jacket, in-

'serts the lens in the rim and places it in cold tei to (3001, allowing the rim to contract and htly secure the lens in the frame.

a pair of diametrically opposed lugs is which are The heating unit has 4 each bent at an angle in the opposite direction from each other and complementally to the angle of the slots 15. The lugs enter the slots is in the wall It, and as the pattern is turned counterclockwise, the lugs ride down the inclined slots and wedge therewith to lock the pattern in said slot. This will secure the cone and jacket to the base of the heating unit and will prevent any loose play therebetween. The rim of the frame is then placed on the cone, as shown in Fig. l and reshaped to the shape of the cone which corresponds to the shape of the pattern 75. The size of the reshaped rim being determined by the position it is pushed down on the cone. With this arrangement, only a single pattern is needed for each of the various styles of rim, as the sizes are formed on the cone. While I have shown only one pattern, it will be obvious that other shaped patterns with cutouts shaped to conform to the various styles of rims may be used. The same pattern is used for the right and left rims by turning the pattern over and thus inserting it on the cone. A pattern is used when the shape of the rim of the spectacle is to be altered into another shape or when a much too small rim has to be considerably enlarged.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I show a modified form of stretching device 83 made in the shape of a truncated cone and of a thin flexible metal material having a continuous wall surface, somewhat similar to the jacket 56 previously described. The opposite ends thereof may be welded or otherwise permanently joined as at 32. In this construction the stretching cone is placed on the heating unit like that previously described and is operated in the same manner. However, in this construction no segmental cone is used and the shaping of the rim is done directly on the stretching cone as. The pattern is shown positioned on the cone at the place it would be positioned when the pattern is locked to the heating unit.

In Fig. '7 I show a construction in which the stretching cone 8 is made of a wire cloth or mesh cloth and the rim 9 of the spectacles is formed directly on the stretching cone as in the same manner as previously described. No segmental cone is used.

It will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device for stretching or reshaping rims of plastic frames of spectacles comprising a substantially conical member capable of being reshaped, a heating unit on which said conical member is positioned and having a locking memher, a pattern positioned on said conical member to. shape same, said pattern having means engaging the locking member on said heating unit to be locked therewith and to hold said conical member fixed with respect to said heating unit.

2. A device for stretching or shaping spectacle rims, comprising a forming member formed of a plurality of segments hingedly connected to each other to permit shaping of same, a heating unit on which said forming member is positioned and having a locking member, a pattern positioned on said forming member to shape same, said pattern having means engaging the locking member to be locked therewith and to hold said forming member fixed with respect to said heating element.

3. A device for stretching or shaping spectacle rims comprising a segmental cone member formed of a plurality of segments hingedly connected to each other to permit shaping of said cone, a jacket member formed of a thin flexible material and having a continuous Wall and mounted on said segmental cone, a heating unit on which said segmental cone and jacket is placed, said heating unit having a locking connection, a pattern positioned on said jacket memher to shape said jacket and segmental cone, said pattern having means engaging the locking connection to be locked therewith and hold said jacket and segmental cone member fixed with respect to said heating unit.

4. A device for stretching or shaping spectacle rims comprising a cone shaped member formed of a plurality of segments hingedly connected to each other to permit shaping of said cone, a heating unit having a cupped portion which has a slotted section, said cone adapted to be positioned in said cupped portion, a pattern positioned on said cone member for shaping same, said pattern having lugs engaging the slotted section for holding said cone secured to said heating unit.

5. A device for stretching or shaping spectacle rims comprising a cone shaped member formed of a piurality of segments hingedly connected to each other to permit shaping of said cone, a heating unit having an upstanding wall provided with a plurality of inclined slots, said cone adapted to be placed on said heating unit, a pattern positioned on said cone member for shaping same, said pattern having a plurality of lugs inclined complementally to said slots to engage said slots and lock said cone to said heating unit.

6. A device for stretching and shaping spectacle rims comprising a cone shaped member formed of a plurality of segments hingedly connected to each other to permit shaping of said cone, a wire member secured inside said cone for urging the segments outwardly with respect to each other, and a jacket member mounted on said cone.

ALEXANDER HORVATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,266 Baker June 14, 1927 1,674,575 Stead June 19, 1928 1,734,411 Welsh Nov. 5, 1929 2,552,043 Horvath May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 593,650 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1947 

